The invention generally relates to cooling modules having axial flow fan designs to cause airflow through a heat exchanger and, more particularly, to a vehicle engine cooling module which reduces electric motor energy draw requirements by minimizing energy needed to cause cooling airflow through the radiator.
An axial flow fan may be used to produce a flow of cooling air through the heat exchanger components of a vehicle. For example, a an engine cooling module used in an automotive cooling application may include an electric motor driven axial flow fan for moving cooling air through a heat exchanger such as an engine radiator, condenser, intercooler, or combination thereof to cool the engine.
Operating the electric motor to drive the fan to cool the radiator undesirably consumes significant electrical energy and thus fuel when a vehicle is in operation. There is a need to reduce the energy draw of the electric motor of an engine cooling module and thus reduce the fuel consumed in operating a vehicle.
An object of the invention is to fulfill the need referred to above. In accordance with the principles of the present invention, this objective is achieved by providing an engine cooling module which includes a shroud, a heat exchanger coupled to the shroud, a fan, a motor for driving the fan, and a plurality of air dams. The shroud, circumscribing the fan, has a main opening to allow air to pass through the fan to or from the heat exchanger. A fan is associated with the shroud so as to be adjacent to the fan opening to permit air moved by the fan to pass through the heat exchanger. An electric motor drives the fan.
The air dams of the invention allow air to flow more easily in one direction than the opposite direction. In the fan flow direction, the air dams provide relatively little resistance to the flow. In the direction opposite to fan flow direction, the air dams provide more resistance than the resistance faced by air flowing in the fan flow direction. Under ram air conditions (e.g., when the vehicle is moving), the use of air dams can reduce the load on the fan""s motor by enhancing flow through the radiator. The air dams of the invention reduce the recirculation of relatively warm air when the vehicle is at rest. Recirculation of relatively warm air reduces cooling module efficiency by causing the fan to re-pump hot air.
Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and the functions of the related elements of the structure, the combination of parts and economics of manufacture will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification.